ALABAMA LEGISLATURE REJECTS WAXMAN-MARKEY PRINCIPLES

August 19, 2009

The Alabama legislature has passed a resolution stating any action to address global climate change should be done in a way that "safeguards American jobs, ensures affordable energy for citizens, and maintains America's global competitiveness."

Moreover, it states that:

Any system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions must ensure the availability of sufficient, affordable energy, including clean energy, before restricting emissions in a manner that could reduce the volume of energy available to consumers.

Mindful to the burden to American consumers from high energy costs, it says that any system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions must not add to the already high costs of power and gasoline.

In light of the growth and development occurring in developing nations such as India and China, "any system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions must not eliminate American jobs and diminish the ability of American industry to compete in the global marketplace."

According to H. Sterling Burnett, a senior fellow with the National Center for Policy Analysis, the resolution shows that Alabama is putting American consumers first. The resolution noted Alabama has lost 84,800 manufacturing jobs since 1998 and manufacturing contributes $27 billon to the state's economy, 19 percent of the gross state product.

In light of the unanimous vote by Alabama's congressional delegation against the Waxman-Markey energy bill, the state's lawmakers are also standing up to harmful climate legislation at the federal level, says Burnett.

The Waxman-Markey bill is a monstrosity that will harm the American economy, make the poor less well off, hurt everyone's pocketbooks and help our foreign competitors in China and India, concludes Burnett.